INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS

INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS; Potential European Deal For British Aerospace

Published: December 8, 1998

British Aerospace P.L.C. said yesterday that it was in ''relatively advanced'' talks with other parties about a consolidation of Europe's military and aerospace industry but that a definitive agreement had not been reached. The company confirmed the talks but did not comment specifically on weekend speculation in the press that it was poised to announce a merger with DaimlerChrysler Aerospace of Germany, informally known as Dasa.

Weekend reports suggested that a deal between British Aerospace and Dasa would leave Aerospatiale of France, their partner in Airbus Industrie, out in the cold. The Sunday Times of London reported that the merger could be worth as much as $:14 billion ($23.22 billion). The stock of British Aerospace rose 15.25 pence, to 511 ($8.48).